Comprehensive Overview of Student Services Monomoy Regional School District Report to School Committee January 12, 2017 Comprehensive Overview of Student Services

Federal State Laws and Regulations PL (Pubic Law) 105-17 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Federal 1975, P.L. 94-142 FAPE First major special education law was Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972 MGL c.71B Regulation 603 CMR 28.00 State  

F.A.P.E. Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is an educational right of children with disabilities in the United States that is guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). District must reasonably calculate FAPE – replaced “maximum feasibility” with the reauthorization.

LRE Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is the requirement in federal law that students with disabilities receive their education, to the maximum extent appropriate, with nondisabled peers and that special education students are not removed from regular classes unless, even with supplemental aids and services, education in regular classes cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

Eligibility for special education services Child Find Pre-Referral Initial Referral Initial Evaluation

Process to Determine eligibility Initial Evaluation Requested by parents, teachers, or related service providers Re-Evaluation Conducted every three years

Possible Outcomes Eligible Not Found Eligible An Individual Education Program is developed to meet the unique needs of the student that requires specialized instruction and/or related services The Team provides written notice and the parent’s notice of procedural safeguards is provided. Accommodations are put into place as part of the District Accommodation Plan (DCAP) Potential for eligibility of a 504 (accommodation plan) if the student only requires accommodations and meets eligibility requirements

Individual Education Program (IEP) Development An Individual Education Program (IEP) is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child’s unique individual learning needs. The IEP has Two general purposes: To set reasonable learning goals for a student To state the services the student will receive as part of the educational program The IEP is developed jointly by the school system, the parent of the child, and the student (when appropriate) The school district issues the IEP based on the input from the members of the IEP TEAM.

Some Areas to be Addressed Implementation and Monitoring Transition Planning (14-22) Extended Year Services Discipline and Placement 688 Referral (Adult Service) Parental Involvement

Problem Resolution State Compliance System - PQA Facilitated Meetings Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA) SPEDEX Mediation

Programs and Services Preschool Integrated Classrooms Walk-in/Itinerant Services Intensive Preschool Program Make Way for Kids

Programs and Services Elementary K-4 Inclusion Support Academic Support Intensive Learning Supports Intensive Services

Programs and Services Middle Schools 5-7 Inclusion Support Academic Support Intensive Services Reading Services

Programs and Services High School 8-12 Inclusion/Co-Teaching Support Academic Support Intensive Services Post-Graduation

Out of District Students who require more intensive and specialized supports and services may be referred to an out of district approved private special education program. These students require a level of support and service that the district is unable to provide due to the intensity and severity of the disability.

Out of District s 2014-2015 state data State Rate 6.9% District Rate 4.0%

Alternative Learning Program Programs to support unique learning needs and mitigate referral to special education Seminar Block Middle School Remediation Interest based enrichment Alternative Learning Program High School academics Vocational Credit Recovery Academic Center At Risk Organizational Skills Facilitated Peer Mentors

Clinical and Psychological Services Clinical Consultants BCBA Consultant Psychologist In School Counseling Partnerships Gosnold Chatham Child and Family Services Harwich Youth and Family Services

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Related Services Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Structured Reading Counseling Interpreting & Translation

Related Services Continued Orientation and Mobility School Health/ Nurse Paraprofessional Support Augmentative Communication Parent Counseling and Training Teacher of Visual Impairments Transportation

English Language Learner Programs Each school has a teacher to support English Language Learners. Students have access to three different levels of classes which are taught to proficiency Resource class which provides additional help in core subjects. Teachers provide support to students in the general education classroom and consult to teachers to ensure the greatest level of success for the student.

Community Resources School Resource Officer “Keep Them Coming” Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative Mobile Crisis Team Gosnold Counseling Chatham Child and Family Services Harwich Youth and Family Services “Keep Them Coming”

Section 504 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against persons with a handicap (disability) in any program receiving federal financial assistance.

504 Continued Section 504 was enacted to "level the playing field" - to eliminate impediments to full participation by persons with disabilities. In legal terms, the statute was intended to prevent intentional or unintentional discrimination against persons with disabilities, persons who are believed to have disabilities, or family members of persons with disabilities

Key Questions Does the student have a disability? Is the student being excluded? Does the student need “reasonable” accommodations in order to be included or gain access to all environments?

Program Coordination Team Chair: Regulations require that there is an identified member of the IEP Team that can commit resources on behalf of the district when developing and proposing an Individual Education Program. The school psychologist serves as the Team Chair in each building with the exception of Harwich Elementary where the Out of District Coordinator serves as the Team Chair.

DISTRICT ACCOMPLISHMENTS Students’ access to the community Response to Intervention support across all schools Harwich Youth Committee membership Lower Cape Substance Abuse Coalition membership Implementation of PBIS across the elementary and middle schools Seminar block at the middle school Best Buddies – high school After school clubs and enrichment programs Community Safety meetings held by the District Attorney’s Office membership Development of a Social Emotional Learning steering committee Development of a District Curriculum Accommodation Plan steering committee Positive relationships with students Grade 10 ELA MCAS passed for students who received their instruction in a modified ELA class Students participating in the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative at Cape Cod Community College. Development of the Academic Center Expansion of the Alternative Learning Program Development of attendance tracking process at the high school Struggling learners task force at the high school Online learning platform for summer school, credit recovery and enrichment at the high school

CHALLENGES Nature of special education entitlement program - mandates that are unfunded No single definition of FAPE (Free, Appropriate Public Education) No single definition of Effective Progress in the general curriculum Level of disabilities requiring complex services and therapies Consideration for space needed to deliver services Limited pool of special educators and therapists in relationship to the number of eligible students Continued increase in costs associated with special education and service delivery State system for approving out of district programs tuitions and approvals for restructuring Very few options for Out of District Programs for intensive special needs Time for general education and special education to collaborate on the needs of students and service delivery MCAS - the support required for students to achieve proficiency Coordination with other state agencies (DCF, DDS, DMH, MRC, etc.) Psychiatric and mental health issues Complex family needs and an increase of emotional needs of students Lack of capacity for general education to support mental health and behavioral needs Students with unique presentation who do not fit neatly within identified service delivery models Lack of training for and collaboration with paraprofessional staff to support students and carry out programs designed Decrease in grant funds Systemic capacity – Team Chairs also serve as school psychologists UNPREDICTABILITY